Barcelona have announced that captain, Lionel Messi will not extend his stay at the club.
The club’s announcement came in a three-paragraph statement shared on its website on Thursday.
Read the statement below:
Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).
As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life
The six-time Ballon D’Or winner had tried to leave the club last year when he handed in a transfer request but Barcelona’s board would have none of it.
He officially became a free agent on July 1 as his previous contract ended on June 30.
He was close to signing a new five-year deal at the club and had reportedly agreed that his wages could be reduced by 50 per cent.
The 34-year-old, who made his senior debut with Barcelona in 2003, scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for the club.
Leave a Reply